The contested territories of Costa Rica: sustainable land management challenges in the neotropics

This chapter investigates the complex processes associated with deforestation in the neotropics and discusses the challenges inherent in addressing forest loss within a sustainable development context. Utilizing Costa Rica as a case study, the chapter identifies a range of disparate pressures exerted upon forest resources in the Central American region and considers the efficacy of remedial methods employed to counter their destructive impacts. This task requires decision makers and land managers to adapt conventional land use structures to reflect sustainable motivations and local realities, allied to a strong political commitment on the part of both the international community and national governments to ensure that current pressures are not compounded by the lure of short-term economic advantage.